Former Boys Club reopens as affordable senior housing
Gov. Maura Healey joined Worcester officials Wednesday to celebrate the completion of The Residences on Lincoln Square, a $51 million development that transformed the long-vacant Worcester Boys Club and added a new five-story apartment building. All 80 affordable apartments for adults 55 and older have already been leased, including 11 units designated for residents with disabilities. Developer WinnCompanies preserved the historic building, vacant since 2006, converting it into 16 apartments and shared spaces while constructing another 64 apartments alongside it. Read more
Amazon drone proposal draws resistance and calls for public input
Worcester city councilors voted Tuesday to request a public forum on Amazon’s proposed Prime Air delivery service, which could eventually make as many as 1,000 deliveries a day from a Westborough facility. A day earlier, Westborough residents voted 510-13 to approve restrictions on commercial drone operations, although the bylaw still requires review by the Massachusetts attorney general’s office. Worcester councilors supported inviting Amazon representatives to answer residents’ questions but rejected a separate request for a legal review of the city’s zoning authority over potential drone launch sites. Read more
PETA asks federal regulators to examine pig deaths at UMass Chan
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filed a complaint Monday asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate the deaths of two young pigs used in cardiac experiments at UMass Chan Medical School. The organization alleges the animals experienced complications following invasive procedures and questions whether they received adequate postoperative monitoring and veterinary care. The USDA confirmed Wednesday that it is reviewing complaints involving both the medical school and an animal supplier, but its acknowledgment does not establish that violations occurred or that a formal enforcement investigation has begun. Read more
Worcester schools show progress, but high school scores decline
Worcester Public Schools maintained or improved performance on 15 of 18 state accountability indicators, according to results presented to the school committee Thursday. High school achievement in English, math and science declined for the second consecutive year, while chronic absenteeism remained a concern. Fourteen schools increased their progress toward state targets, and the committee requested more detailed school-level accountability and attendance information to help identify where additional support is needed. Read more
Council votes to oppose Question 8 on cannabis sales
The Worcester City Council voted 6-0 Tuesday, with five abstentions, to oppose Question 8 on the November state ballot, which would repeal legal recreational cannabis sales in Massachusetts. Mayor Joseph Petty and other supporters of the resolution cited the potential effects of repeal on local businesses, tax revenue and public safety. Councilors who abstained included Morris Bergman and Tony Economou, who questioned whether the council should take positions on ballot questions rather than leave those decisions to voters. Read more
Worcester Research Bureau makes local data easier to explore
The Worcester Regional Research Bureau has introduced interactive online dashboards that allow residents to explore information about the city’s population, housing, employment, income and economic conditions. The first dashboard, part of the bureau’s 2026 Worcester Almanac, includes data on rents, home values, poverty, homelessness, disability, languages spoken and other measures. Additional dashboards covering government, education, public safety, transportation, health and other subjects are scheduled for release in the coming weeks, while the traditional almanac PDF is expected later this fall. Read more
Heywood Boot building lands nearly $930,000 for improvements
Worcester’s historic Heywood Boot Company building at Winter and Harding streets will receive $929,376 in state funding to address building code requirements and improve accessibility. The award is part of nearly $54 million in grants supporting 73 projects across 43 Central Massachusetts communities through the state’s Community One Stop for Growth initiative. Other regional awards include $5 million for infrastructure improvements connected to affordable housing redevelopment in Oxford and $5 million for work in Fitchburg’s Moran Square. Read more
Roundabouts, new apartments and restaurant opening reshape Worcester
Worcester officials presented plans for $10.1 million in roadway improvements near Worcester State University, including two roundabouts at intersections along Chandler and May streets. Construction could begin as early as summer 2027, while a separate developer is seeking approval for 24 apartments on Grafton Street near the Millbury line. Meanwhile, Wonder celebrated the opening of its restaurant at 14 Park Ave., bringing a menu drawn from approximately 20 to 30 restaurant concepts to the former Boston Market location. Read more
Assumption establishes sports institute honoring Larry Lucchino
Assumption University announced the creation of the Larry Lucchino Institute for the Study of Sports, supported by a major gift from the Lucchino Family Foundation. Worcester Red Sox President Charles Steinberg, who worked alongside Lucchino for 45 years, will serve as founding director of the institute, which will examine connections between sports and subjects including business, ethics, literature, leadership and civic life. The institute is expected to launch in fall 2027, when scholarships will also become available to students interested in sports and the values associated with Lucchino’s career. Read more
Worcester veteran takes command of 15,000 National Guard soldiers
Brig. Gen. Richard P. Cipro, a Worcester resident and retired Worcester police sergeant, assumed command of the Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division during an Oct. 17 ceremony in Latham, New York. Cipro, who served more than 32 years with the Worcester Police Department, now oversees approximately 15,000 soldiers stationed across the northeastern United States. His military career began in 1991 and includes deployments to Pakistan and Iraq, along with senior leadership positions in the Massachusetts National Guard. Read more
Sheriff’s Office begins distributing nearly 4,000 winter coats
The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and Worcester County Reserve Deputy Sheriff’s Association began their annual winter coat distribution effort Monday, Oct. 19. Nearly 4,000 new coats are being delivered through food pantries, community centers, nonprofit organizations and other agencies serving residents in need across Worcester County. Sheriff Lew Evangelidis and his team are working with local businesses and community partners whose donations help provide winter clothing to families facing financial hardship. Read more
Worcester nonprofit works to make mental health care more accessible
Worcester nonprofit CHANGE is preparing for its second annual fundraiser Saturday, Oct. 24, with a focus on mental health equity and the barriers residents face in accessing care. Founded in 2018 by nurse Lovo D. Koliego, the organization helps people navigate MassHealth applications, housing and elder services paperwork, and other health care resources. The fundraiser at the Creative Hub will bring attention to the stigma surrounding mental health treatment and the challenges immigrants and underserved residents can encounter when seeking services. Read more
Eight pianists bring American music to Tuckerman Hall
The Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra’s 18th annual Duo Piano Gala returns Saturday, Oct. 24, with eight pianists performing a program celebrating 250 years of American music. The concert at Tuckerman Hall will feature compositions by George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Florence Price and others, with performers sharing two Steinway grand pianos in changing combinations. A special arrangement of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” by conductor Myron Romanul brings all eight musicians together during the evening, which begins at 7:30 p.m. Read more
Worcester State president chosen to lead St. Patrick’s Parade
Worcester State University President Barry Maloney has been named grand marshal of the 2027 Worcester County St. Patrick’s Parade, scheduled for March 14 along Park Avenue. Maloney, a fourth-generation Irish American whose family traces its roots to counties Clare and Cork, has served as university president since 2011. His selection recognizes his involvement in Worcester’s civic organizations and his efforts to build academic and cultural partnerships with institutions in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Read more
Richard Pryor’s daughter brings personal history to Worcester
Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor, a Smith College historian and daughter of comedian Richard Pryor, was scheduled to discuss her new memoir Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Museum of Worcester. Her book, “Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word, and Me,” examines the history of the n-word, its role in her father’s comedy and its influence on her own understanding of race and identity. The discussion, moderated by Deborah Hall, was organized in collaboration with the Worcester Black History Project and Worcester Women’s History Project. Read more
Chad Epperson reportedly headed to Worcester as WooSox manager
Chad Epperson is expected to become the Worcester Red Sox manager for the 2027 season, according to published reports, after serving as Boston’s third base coach. The longtime Red Sox organization veteran would replace Iggy Suarez, who is expected to return to Worcester as bench coach after taking over the team during the 2026 season. Epperson has compiled a 731-669 record over more than 10 seasons managing in the minor leagues, including four seasons with Double-A Portland, and would make his Triple-A managerial debut in Worcester. Read more
Saint Paul captains reach major field hockey milestones
Senior captains Ireland Shea and Ava Grant have helped lead Saint Paul’s field hockey team through a successful season while reaching significant individual milestones. Shea, a midfielder, has scored 100 career goals and recorded approximately 35 goals and 15 assists this season, while goalkeeper Grant made her 500th career save during an Oct. 15 victory over Monty Tech. Coach Aimee Lee credits their communication, leadership and ability to guide younger teammates with helping the Knights build an 8-4 record. Read more
Cemetery ghosts, comedy and ABBA fill Worcester’s weekend
Preservation Worcester brings its theatrical Rural Remains tours to Worcester’s historic Rural Cemetery Friday evening, with costumed actors introducing visitors to figures from the city’s past. Comedian Jimmy Dunn performs at Mechanics Hall, while Music Worcester’s BACHtoberfest offers a weekend of music devoted to Johann Sebastian Bach. The Hanover Theatre welcomes ABBA tribute act MANIA, and Worcester Public Library hosts a Halloween-themed trinket swap for anyone looking to exchange their unusual little treasures. Read more
